Cam actuated attachment fitting



1955 E. c. ELSNER 2,726,060

5 CAM ACTUATED ATTACHMENT FITTING Filed July 16, 1955 H /6 4 39 5 1 3239 2 if 29 28 29 26 29 I 29 FQ wm C Eisner E .1 3/ lflVENTOR,

Uite i Patented Dec. 6, 1955 CAM ACTUATED ATTACHMENT FITTING Edwin C.Eisner, Glendale, Calif. Application July16, 1953, Serial No.368,369 8Claims. (Cl. 248-361) The present invention relates generally toconnecting and fastening devices, and is more, particularly concernedwith a quick action fitting for holding partsormembers in position by aclamping action exerted against asurface of the part or member to besecured.

it is an object of the invention toprovide compact, rugged sturdyfastening means which are arranged for quick attachment and detachmentwith respect to a complementary anchor member, and which incorporatesnovel manual operable cumming surfaces adapted to clampingly cooperatein the holding of other members or objects against movement from adesired position or location. For example, such fittings are especiallyadvantageous and useful in the securing of elongate members havingopenings therein to floors, decks or the like, and when so secured willbe held against movement away from the floor or deck as well as againstlateral movements along the floor or deck, the fitting in the latterrespect acting as a stud which extends into the opening.

Another object is to provide in a device of the character described,novel adjusting means for the camming surfaces in order to accommodatethe fitting for utilization with members, which are to be secured to thefloor or deck, of different thicknesses.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are for illustrativepurposes only:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fitting embodying the features ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken substantially011 line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view,taken substantially on line 5-5of Fig. 2, showingthe jaw members in closed position; and

ig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, except that the jaw members are shownin open position.

Referring generally to the drawings, for illustrative purposes thepresent invention has been shown as embodying according to the broadconcepts of the invention complementary structures A and B. In generalthese complementary structures are so arranged that one may be anchoredto the other, and when so anchored may be manipulated for releasablysecuring a member or object to a floor or deck, and when so used willhold the object in position against the floor or deck and also retainthe object against lateral displacement. The invention is thussusceptible of varied and of sundry applications.

The structure A comprises a stud 10, which may be supported in anysuitable manner in a fioor or deck, and is shown herein as beingpositioned in a deck rail or channel 11 so as to be recessed below theplane of the lateral flanges 12-12 of the channel structure.

The structure A is of conventional. construction and the stud 10 has acircumferentially extending groove 13 which resultsin the formation ofan enlarged head end portion 14, as shown in Fig. 5, at the projectingend of the stud.

The structure B is disclosed as comprisinga body 15, in this instance ofgenerally cylindrical construction, composed of integrally formedsections 16 and 17, the latter of which is of smaller diameter andexternally threaded as shown at 18 to form a threaded upper end uponwhich there is adjustably mounted tan adjusting nut 19. Adjustingmovement of the nut 19 in an upward direction is arrested by means of anabutment washer 20 which is secured to the end section 17 by means of aretaining screw 21, the washer 20 having its peripheral marginprojecting beyond the threads in the line of movement of the adjustingnut.

The section 16 is formed with an axially positionedend recess 22 adaptedto receive endwise therein the head end 14 of structure A. This sectionhas diametrically aligned side opening slots 23 and 24 which extend attheir lower most ends into the recess 22 and have their bottom surfacesseparated by a web 25 the lower end of which presents an abutmentsurface 26 at the bottom of the recess 22. This abutment surface limitsthe inward movement of the head end 14 of structure A, when it isinserted endwise into the recess.

The slots 23 and 24 provide mounting spaces respectiveiy for jaw members27 and 28, these jaw members being of elongate construction and in eachcase rockingly pivoted intermediate its ends upon a pivot pin 29.

The jaw members are similarly constructed and are each provided withouter edge cam faces 30 and 31 arranged in angularly outward divergingrelation, for a pur- A "pose which will subsequently be furtherexplained. The

cam face 3!) is positioned at one end of the jaw, while the opposite endof the jaw member is in each case provided with segmental groove 32, thelower wall of which forms a contiguous inwardly projecting arcuate endflange 33. The groove and end flange of each jaw memher are thusarranged, in the closed position of the jaws, to interfittingly grip thehead end 14 of the structure A, peripheral portions of the head endfitting into the segmental groove 32, and the end flange being adaptedto extend into the groove 13 below the head end so as to anchor thestructure B to the structure A.

The jaw members 27 and 28 are arranged to be actuated into gripping andnon-gripping positions by means of a tubular sleeve 34 which is mountedfor reciprocable movements axially of the body 15'. This sleeve ondiametrically opposite sides is provided with longitudinally extendingend opening slots 35-35 for the passage of the end portions of a shaft36 which is mounted inthe body section 17, as will hereinafter beexplained more fully. The slots 35 permit and limit upward movement ofthe sleeve 34, while downward movement is limited by end flanges 37-37at the outer end of body section 16.

In relation to the slots SS-35, the sleeve 34is provided withdiametrically positioned rectangular openings 38-38, these openingsbeing separated from the lowermost end of the sleeve by a bridgingportion 39 in each case.

As shown in Fig. 5, it will be observed that with the sleeve 34 moveddownwardly until it abuts the flanges 3737, the bridging portions 39bear against the associated cam faces 31 of the adjacent jaw and act toforce the jaws into closed gripping position. In this position of thejaws, it will be observed that the jaw end containing the cam face 30projects through the associated opening 38. The jaws may be actuated tonon-gripping or open position by moving the sleeve 34 upwardly. This maybe done by manually grasping the upper end of the sleeve,

this end being provided with circumferentially extending spaced ridges40 to provide a non-slipping hold on the sleeve. Upward movement of thesleeve causes the bridging portions 3939 respectively to engage the camfaces 3030 of the jaws and swing them about their respective pivot pinsin a direction to swing the lowermost end of the jaws outwardly to openposition, as shown in Fig. 6. In this position, the lower end edge ofthe sleeve 34 will be raised sufficiently to pass a spring biased balldetent 41 which serves to releasably retain the sleeve in raisedposition. In the lowered position of the sleeve 34, the ball detent 41extends above the closed end of slot 35 so as to thus act as a deterrentto inadvertent raising of the sleeve.

The mechanism of the fitting as thus far described is primarily for thepurpose of quickly releasing and securing the complementary structures Aand B with respect to each other, and so that the structure A may forman anchor for structure B, the structure B then providing in effect aswivel stud which may serve as a support for a clamping mechanism whichwill now be described.

As shown best in Fig. '4, the shaft 36 extends through a transverse slotor passage 42 in the body section 17, this passage being elongated in anaxial direction of the body section so as to permit lateral movements ofthe shaft 36 in a direction axially of the body 15. The shaft 36 isbiased in an upward direction by means of an expansion coil spring 43,one end of this spring being seated in a recess 44 and the other endbearing against the shaft 36. The shaft 36 may be adjustably raised andlowered in the passage 42 by manipulating the adjusting nut 19. Thelowermost edge of this nut bears against the shaft 36 and is providedwith suitable notches or dwell points 45 which operate to hold the nutagainst inadvertent rotation, when the shaft 36 is disposed in one ofthe notches.

The projecting ends of the shaft 36 support in each case a cam member 46which is shown as being integrally formed at the inner end of a leverarm 47, the two lever arms being joined at their outermost ends by aconnecting member 48 so as to form a two-legged cam operating handleadapted to be swung from an upright full line position as shown in Fig.1 to a substantially horizontal dotted line position in order to applythe full throw of the cam in a downward direction axially of thestructure vA.

The fitting of the present invention is designed primarily to beutilized with members or objects having more or less standard spacing ofparallel surfaces such as in a plank or board, such a member beinggenerally indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 by the numeral 49, and as having ahole or opening 50 therein of snfiicient diameter to enable endwiseinsertion of the structure B and associated sleeve 34 therein.

When the structure B is thus inserted, the sleeve 34 is in raisedposition so as to actuate the jaws 27 and 28 to opened position. Byinserting the structure B into the opening50 and engaging the jaws overthe head end 14 of an associated structure A, the structure B may berigidly anchored in position by pushing the sleeve 34 downwardly so asto close the jaws 27 and 28.

With the position of the shaft 36 properly adjusted, the handle of thecam mechanism may be moved from upright position to substantiallyhorizontal position so as to cause the respective cams 46-46 to engagethe adjacent top surface of the member 49 and force it downwardlyagainst the upper surfaces of flanges 12--12, and thus clamp the memberto the floor or deck. Moreover, the structure B being securely anchoredalso forms in effect a vertical projecting stud positioned within theopening 50 so that the member 49 is likewise held against lateralmovements or shifting over the floor or deck surface.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of the attachment fitting may be madeand substituted for thoseherein' shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit 4 of the invention, the scope of which is set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A connecting and fastening device, comprising: a body structure; aplurality of elongate jaw members supported adjacent one end of saidbody structure for movements to closed and opened positions, the otherend of said body structure being externally threaded and having atransverse slot; a tubular sleeve axially slidable on said body;connections between said sleeve and jaw members for actuating the jawsto closed and opened positions in response to the axial movements ofsaid sleeve; a shaft extending through said slots; cams respectivelycarried by the shaft ends; means biasing said shaft towards the adjacentend of said body; a stop nut adjust able on said threaded end, said nutbeing in the path of biased movement of said shaft; and a handleconnected with said shaft for moving said cams, said handle straddlingsaid body and having leg portions connected respectively with said cams.

2. A connecting and fastening device, comprising: a body structure; aplurality of elongate jaw members supported adjacent one end of saidbody structure for movements to closed and opened positions, the otherend of said body structure being externally threaded and having atransverse slot; a tubular sleeve axially slidable on said body;connections between said sleeve and jaw members for actuating the jawsto closed and opened positions in response to the axial movements ofsaid sleeve; a shaft extending through said slot; cams respectivelycarried by the shaft ends; means biasing said shaft towards the adjacentend of said body; a stop nut adjustable on said threaded end, said nutbeing in the path of biased movement of said shaft; and a handleconnected with said shaft for moving said cams.

3. A connecting and fastening device, comprising: a body structure; aplurality of elongate jaw members supported adjacent one end of saidbody structure for movements to closed and opened positions, the otherend of said body structure being externally threaded and having atransverse slot; a tubular sleeve axially slidable on said body;connections between said sleeve and jaw members for actuating the jawsto closed and opened positions in response to the axial movements ofsaid sleeve; a shaft extending through said slot; cams respectivelycarried by the shaft ends; means biasing said shaft towards the adjacentend of said body; a stop nut adjustable on said threaded end, said nutbeing in the path of biased movement of said shaft; and means forrotating said cams.

4. A connecting and fastening device, comprising: a body structure; aplurality of elongate jaw members supported adjacent one end of saidbody structure for movements to closed and opened positions; a tubularsleeve axially slidable on said body; connections between said sleeveand jaw members for actuating the jaws to closed and opened positions inresponse to the axial movements of said sleeve; a shaft supported onsaid body for lateral adjusting movements axially of said body; camsrespectively carried by the shaft ends; and a handle connected with saidshaft by which said cams may be rotated.

5. A connecting and fastening device, comprising: a body structure; aplurality of elongate jaw members supported adjacent one end of saidbody structure for movements to closed and opened positions; a tubularsleeve axially slidable on said body; connections between said sleeveand jaw members for actuating the jaws to closed and opened positions inresponse to the axial movements of said sleeve; rotatable cams supportedon said body adjacent its other end, said cams being diametricallypositioned on opposite sides of said body; and a manually operablehandle for rotating said cams.

6. In a connecting and fastening device for releasably securing a memberagainst a surface area, said member having an opening therein: a bodystructure adapted to be inserted endwise into said opening; meanscarried by said body structure adapted for movement into gripped andnon-gripped association with an anchor part associated with said surfacearea; and a manually operable cam carried by said body structure havinga camming surface adapted to engage said member and upon operation forcethe member against said surface area, said body structure forming ineffect a stud for holding said member against lateral movements.

7. In a device for removably securing and holding a member against afloor or deck surface, and against lateral shifting movement thereon,said member having an opening therein: a body structure adapted forendwise insertion in said opening and movement to a seated position withits upper end projecting above said member; elements carried by theinserted end of said body structure adapted in said seated position forgripping and nongripping association With a floor or deck anchored meansaxially aligned with said opening and positioned adjacent its inner end;means accessible at the upper end of said inserted body for manuallyactuating said elements, said elements, when in gripping associationWith the anchored means, acting to retain the body structure inupstanding position and prevent lateral shifting of the member; and amanually operable cam carried at the upper end of said inserted bodyhaving a camming surface engageable with an adjacent surface of saidmember, said cam acting to press said member against the floor or deckand hold it against raising displacement therefrom.

8. In a device for removably securing and holding a member against afloor or desk surface, and against lateral shifting movement thereon,said member having an opening therein: a body structure adapted for end-Wise insertion in said opening and movement to a seated position Withits upper end projecting above said member; elements carried by theinserted end of said body structure adapted in said seated position forgripping and non-gripping association with a floor or deck anchoredmeans axially aligned with said opening and positioned adjacent itsinner end; means accessible at the upper end of said inserted body formanually actuating said elements, said elements, when in grippingassociation with the anchored means acting to retain the body structurein upstanding position and prevent lateral shifting of the member; atransverse shaft supported at the upper end of said inserted bodystructure for raising and lowering relative movement; an abutmentadjustable axially of said body structure for limiting raising movementof said shaft; a spring resilient retaining said shaft against saidabutment; and a manually rotatable cam carried by said shaft, said camhaving a camming surface engageable with an adjacent surface of saidmember, said cam acting to press said member against the floor or deckand hold it against raising displacement therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,092,182 Ray Sept. 7, 1937 2,113,852 Meade Apr. 12, 1938 2,654,135Grizzard Oct. 6, 1953

